Telephone lines, which are carried by electrical conductors known as tip ring wire pairs, are generally aggregated at a particular point in a building prior to being distributed and connected to various types of telephone equipment, such as, for example, telephones, fax machines, modems, etc. Tip ring wire pairs generally enter the building as part of a multi-conductor cable, and, as such, must be broken out from the cable into individual wire pairs prior to connecting individual pairs. This is normally accomplished in a junction box commonly known as a building entrance protector (BEP) and/or network interface unit (NIU). Within such devices the individual telephone line tip ring pairs are separated from the cable, individually connected to a connector block, and made available for further electrical connection and distribution. Usually, a protector device is inserted between the telephone central office (or network side of the telephone line) and the customer equipment (or terminal side of the telephone line) to protect the telephone or other equipment connected to the telephone line and the user of such equipment from hazardous overvoltages induced in the telephone network or in the cables passing between the telephone central office and the building within which the line is terminated.
In a typical arrangement, the telephone lines coming from the network are first wired to a protector field, which is an array of connectors for receiving the protector device, which is in turn hard-wired to a first connector block which provides a first test point for testing the telephone line connections between the building and telephone central office. This first terminal block is hard-wired to a multi pair connector, most typically a twenty-five pair connector of the RJ21 type, for further connection to an array of customer bridges which are also hard wired and connectorized via a mating RJ21 connector. The use of a customer bridge permits a subscriber to disconnect terminal equipment from a telephone line so that the subscriber can isolate troubles on the line as originating in the telephone network, or on the terminal equipment side of the telephone line. An example of such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,440, dated Nov. 8, 1994, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,440, depicts a multi-layered network interface unit that results in size economies because the customer bridge connector block is hingeably connected to the telephone network protector array field so that rather than placing these two arrays side by side they can be mounted in overlying relationship, resulting in a saving of space.
BEP housings are generally fabricated from a number of individual components or compartments. One example of a prior art BEP housing is shown in FIG. 1, and is generally indicated at 320. Such a BEP housing typically includes a swivel stub mounting panel 355 for providing a location at which a cable (not shown) enters the BEP, a component mounting panel 356 mounted to swivel stub mounting panel 355 to form a wiring chamber 340, a network cover support bracket 357 mounted to component mounting panel 356, and a network cover 358 hingedly connected to network support bracket 357 to form a network chamber 350. Component mounting panel 356 may serve as a mounting site for electrical components, such as a connector block 375 and a surge protector panel 374, while mounting panel 355 may serve as a mounting site for a swivel stub 370 for channeling the wire pairs of a cable into wiring chamber 340. In addition, prior art configurations often include a network interface module 351, having a customer bridge mounting panel 353 for providing a location to mount a connectors, such as RJ11-type connectors 336. A customer bridge cover 331 is hingedly connected to cover support bracket 357, and along with bridge mounting panel 353 form a customer bridge chamber 335. Finally, such prior art configurations often include a connector module 359, having a mounting cover 354 for providing a location to mount a multi-pair connector, most typically a twenty-five pair connector, such as an RJ21-type connector 376, and a splice chamber 330, having a base 352, and a chamber cover 323 connected to base 352 by a hinge 325, for providing an enclosed area to splice wires.
These separate modules or housing components are combined in a wide variety of configurations to satisfy customer requirements and comply with local BEP codes. As a result, it is necessary to employ a costly stocking process to ensure that a large number of each of these components are available to quickly fabricate a specific BEP design.
In addition, mounting the multiple components or compartments of a prior art configuration requires a significant labor expenditure. In a typical arrangement, a telephone line entering housing 320 is first broken out into individual pairs in splice chamber 330, or alternatively, in wiring chamber 340. The individual pairs are then wired to protector panel 374, which in turn is hard wired to connector block 375. Connector block 375 provides a first test point for testing the telephone line connections between the building and telephone central office. This first terminal block may then be hard-wired to a multi-pair connector, such as RJ21 connector 376, for further connection to a customer bridge, which may also be hard-wired and connectorized via a mating RJ21 connector.
Alternatively, as is shown in FIG. 1, a number of wire pairs may be wired from connector block 375 to RJ11-type connectors 336 contained within customer bridge chamber 335 to provide a second test point for testing the telephone line connections. The remainder of the wire pairs from connector block 375 may be hard-wired to RJ21-connectors 376 so that the wire pairs may be further connected to a customer bridge at a location remote to housing 320.
When the installer connects wiring between components located in different compartments, the installer must pass the wiring through holes in the compartment walls. Depending on the local code, the wiring may have to be protected by a conduit or the like requiring further labor to complete assembly.
Further, depending on the design of the building and the number of telephone pairs required, BEPs may be stacked one above the other on a support surface, generally a wall or back plane. Where the incoming cable is passed behind swivel stub mounting panel 355, as is shown in FIG. 1, and into swivel stub 370, it becomes difficult to lay a second cable alongside a previously laid cable due to space restrictions. Finally, the multi-compartment configuration of the prior art requires a mounting area large enough to support such a structure.
Thus, in a prior art configuration it is necessary to mount a number of different components, and at specific points during assembly to run wire through cutouts in those components. This system of assembly requires that much of the installation be done at the site, often at locations that make it difficult to quickly complete the assembly process.